‘It is heartbreaking for something so awful to happen to my 13-year-old daughter. I have told her to forgive them.
She can speak to me anytime about the incident when she’s ready,’ said the mother of the victim.
The sad 31-year-old mother of a 13-year-old learner who was raped on her way back from school says she’s thankful that the perpetrators did not injure her, although this is the most heinous crime a person can commit.
According to Ikageng SAPS spokesperson, Const. Kelebogile Trom, two men allegedly took out a pair of scissor and a knife and raped a helpless 13-year-old learner in the bushes on her way from school in Sonderwater, Ikageng at about 15:00 last Friday.
Trom says the teen saw two males running towards her and noticed that one was carrying a pair of scissors. They commanded her to keep quiet.
‘They pulled her inside the bushes and demanded a phone and money from her.
The one with a knife told her to undress and raped her. The other one also raped her. When they were finished, the one with the knife raped her again and took her shoes. As he was getting up, she managed to run away and told her mother about the incident,’ Trom reported.
The learner’s mother said what happened to her daughter was devastating. ‘We always hear about these brutal incidents, we did not expect it to happen to us.
The suspects were demanding a phone and money which she did not have; they only took her school shoes,’ she said.
She says ‘we are all living in hard times now.
If something bad does not happen to you outside in the streets, then criminals break into your own house and commit these bad deeds.’
The mother says her daughter is trying to carry on with on with her life and even went to school on Tuesday. She only skipped school on Monday to go to the hospital where medical tests were conducted and medication was provided for the post-rape. The family is still awaiting the date for counselling.
She feels that these crimes would be reduced if the police would only patrol all those danger zones daily Z from 07:00 to 07:00 if necessary. ‘That footpath is scary. If you pass through, you always consider yourself lucky.
There should be police visibility everywhere like in previous years. I pray the police will catch the criminals who did this to my daughter.
‘She does have transport to and from school.
I do not know why she decided to walk back home that day,’ she said. Trom says the police are still looking for the suspect.
She advised school children to walk in groups and avoid walking alone in overgrown footpaths and veld because that is where the criminals target them.